Spies and soldiers at Beaulieu for May half-term

May half term at Beaulieu

At Beaulieu for May half-term, May 26th – June 3rd, be transported back to the time of the Special Operations Executive in World War II and enter the world of spies and soldiers.

Become a secret agent and follow the trail to discover hidden car parts and match them to the secret blueprint concealed in Palace House, then make a cipher wheel to crack the coded message.

Beaulieu was the wartime finishing school for SOE, where secret agents learned vital espionage skills before embarking on dangerous missions. During May half-term, test your skills and search the Beaulieu grounds on your own training mission.

Parts of a prototype Citroen 2CV have been hidden to avoid enemy capture. Find the components, then head to the mission briefing room in Palace House to match them to the plan. You can also quiz costumed SOE instructors in this training exercise for agents being sent to enemy occupied France.

On Saturday June 2nd join forensic investigators from the Specialist Operations Regiment, Royal Military Police as they show you how to dust for fingerprints, collect evidence and photograph the scene of a crime.

Throughout the week, dress up as a soldier, see a selection of wartime vehicles being driven around the attraction and talk to Lord Montagu’s falconer about the role of falconry in World War II.

On Sunday May 27th join author Cameron McAllister to listen to book readings from The Tin Snail in the National Motor Museum and find out about the real-life story of plans for Citroen’s 2CV that were hidden from invading forces.

Then head to the Brabazon Restaurant, where younger visitors can put their code-cracking skills to the test to solve a fiendish puzzle and be entered in a prize draw, with each day’s successful winner receiving a fun spy or soldier pack. The whole family can also enjoy traditional afternoon tea, which is on offer throughout the week.

To take a tour on board HMS Medusa from 26th – 29th May, upgrade your ticket to include a visit to Buckler’s Hard. HMS Medusa helped to clear the way to Omaha Beach for D-Day and more recently took a starring role in the Dunkirk movie.

All May half-term activities are included in general admission tickets, which include entry to the whole of the attractions. Tickets can be bought in advance online. For more details see www.beaulieu.co.uk and www.bucklershard.co.uk or call 01590 612345.

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